She squeezed his arm. “Of course. I’m so sorry I sprung that on you today. I think my nerves have just been shot from everything. I saw the pictures and it was all I could focus on. Honestly, I think it was a way for me to focus on something other than Brian and Bo and the wedding.” She turned her body toward his. “Tell me about Sam.”
He smiled, thinking about where to start. He told her about how curious he was all the time, all the questions he’d ask. He told her about how much Sam loved the movie Cars and how he himself could recite it to her verbatim if she’d like, which she didn’t take him up on. He told her about how Sam smiled when he slept and how much he loved the beach. He told her about the first time he watched Sam eat an ice cream cone and about the time he ran and jumped into the water their first time at a swimming pool before Chase could get his arm floats on him.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to get carried away.”
She just smiled at him, her head resting on the back of the chair. “I like hearing you talk about him.”
He frowned, knowing if he was going to do this honestly, he had one more story to tell. “Sam died alongside my mother.”
Shayla closed her eyes, her brow furrowed as she let it sink in. She took his hand in hers.
“I needed a night alone with my wife. Just one night. Our marriage was falling apart. As much as we both adored Sam, he changed everything in our lives, and we had a hard time adjusting. We were both driven at work and trying to focus on our careers and be good parents. Keeping our marriage cohesive became a distant third on the priority list. She’d tossed out the word divorce more than once. I couldn’t stand the idea of Sam growing up in a broken home, not that young. I asked my mother to take him so I could be with Rachel. We hadn’t been intimate in months…hell, probably a year if I’m being honest. I wanted so badly to make it work. She just wanted out. We were arguing when my brother showed up at the front door that night with the news.” He huffed a humorless laugh. “If I just would have given her the goddamned divorce.”
Shayla didn’t say anything to try to make him feel better, which was one of the reasons he loved her.
“Anyway,” he said, facing her, “that’s it. That’s everything.”
“Does anyone else know about Sam?”
“Nah, not in our circles.”
“That’s a lot to keep in.”
He nodded. “Mmm hmm.”
“Thank you for trusting me.”
He met her gaze. “I’ve trusted you since the day I met you. Even when you were swinging a bat at me.”
She smiled. “I never swung.”
“Well, close enough. What happened with Brian?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. He came in peace. I was the one who got violent. He said he wanted to apologize. The last time we talked, I told him what he’d done. He didn’t act like he believed me. I think he realized he was wrong, and he felt sick over it.”
“As he should.”
“I know. He said he wasn’t going to bother me anymore. I might believe him.”
“I’m not taking any chances, not with the woman I love.”
She met his gaze, a smile tugging at her lips. He stuck his beer in the ice and then took hers from her and put it beside his. He stood and held out his hand, and she took it, standing with him.
He put his hands on her hips. “I love you, Shayla. The past few weeks with you have done more to heal my heart than anything else these past six years. I’ll always have a huge hole there, but my heart’s bigger now than it’s ever been. I’ve never known love like this that I have with you. I don’t want to ever let it go.”
She kept her expression impassive, but her glassy eyes gave her away. She dabbed at a tear with her knuckle and sniffed. “I don’t want to let go either.”
He closed his eyes, bringing her to his chest, feeling the universe shift around him. This was his woman…his person to be with and share life with, and she didn’t want to let go either. He inhaled the perfume of her hair, still curly and pulled halfway up from the wedding. She’d blown him away when he’d seen her in her bridesmaid dress with her hair and makeup all fancy, but standing here in front of him in sweat shorts and a tank, he couldn’t want her more.
She pulled away and tugged him toward her pool house. He stopped and tugged back. She met his gaze with confusion.
“Let’s go to my room.”
Walking across the threshold into Chase’s room felt like a step into a new life. They were together now. He’d told her he loved her, and she couldn’t see a way to stop herself from saying it back. She just needed a moment to process the craziest day of her life.
He pulled the tank top over her head. She hadn’t bothered with a bra. He cupped the back of her neck and kissed her, his soft lips filling her soul like a warm breeze off the ocean on a summer day.
He tugged her shorts down. She’d left the underwear in the drawer as well, and she stood there before him completely bare.
“I can’t believe you’re mine,” he said, gazing over her body. He picked her up, literally sweeping her off her feet, and then set her on his unmade bed, ripping the covers to the floor with his good hand.
“Was all that necessary?” she asked.
“Oh yeah,” he said.
He knelt on the bed with his knees between her legs, lifting one leg to the ceiling and resting it on his shoulder, kissing her ankle. He pulled the other leg up and did the same thing, sort of hugging her legs to his chest. “Fuck, I love your body.”
She smiled. Her body wasn’t anything to write home about, and she knew it. Her thighs were too big, her boobs were too small, and gravity was starting to take hold of her almost-late-thirties skin. But she loved that he appreciated it nonetheless.
He moved both his hands, even the bandaged one, up and down her legs, and then let them go as he worked his way toward her center. “And there’s nothing on the planet better than this.” He tossed each of her legs over his shoulders and sank into her in a way that had her lifting herself off the bed and likely smothering him to death.
She grabbed onto his shoulders for the ride, which was shorter than it should have been because she was so ready for him. His touch on her freed her body like a bird being let out of its cage.
“Chase,” she whispered, which made him work harder, finding the spot inside her that was a guaranteed smash hit.
She arched her back, letting the sensations rush through her, reaching all the way down to the tips of her toes. She nudged him away as soon as she’d had more than she could take, eager to let him keep going because she was pretty damn sure she could go again, but she wanted him inside her as much as she wanted his mouth on her.
She sat up. “Get out of those clothes,” she said, and he obeyed, standing off the bed and undressing. She stood off the bed as well and ran her hand through his hair, kissing his mouth, tasting herself on his lips. His cock pressed against her belly, hard as a rock, and she pressed on his shoulders, instructing him to sit on the bed.
She knelt down in front of him, spreading his legs, wanting to show him that she trusted him in the power position. She took him into her mouth, and the power shifted to her as she watched his head tilt backward, his eyes closing with the pleasure of her mouth.
She pushed him backward with a single finger to his chest and then spread his legs even farther as she explored him.
“Fuck, Shayla,” he said. “I’m not gonna last.”
“Let yourself go,” she said, and he did, onto his own stomach, which she couldn’t help but find a little hot.
“Stay put,” she said, standing and then heading to his bathroom, which was three times the size of hers. She came back with a wet, warm towel that she used to wipe off his stomach.
“That was hot as fuck, Shayla.”
She smiled at his stomach. “I know.”
She started to stand to return the towel, but he took it from her and tossed it on the floor. “I’ll get it later. Come here.”
“It might be. Wanna trade?” he asked. She kept her smile closed-mouth, not wanting to show any cards. He smoothed the hair away from her face. “Where does a relationship like this go? You’ve already moved in.”
“I didn’t move in. I rented a pool house from you.”
“Well, I can’t let you stay down there anymore. That’d just be too freaking weird.”
“Then I’ll stay down the hall,” she said.
He pulled her over on top of him. “You’ll stay right here.”
She kissed him and then pulled away, her hair draping over his chest and shoulders. “We’ll take it one day at a time.”
He played with one of her curls. “We’ll take it any way you want it, my love.”
“You’re sure free with that word,” she said.
“I’ve been wanting to say it for a week now. I can’t say it enough.”
She let out a breath, feeling love for him like a tidal wave. “I’m a lucky girl.”
“I’m the lucky one.”
She felt something nudge her down below and furrowed her brow as she took a look. “Are you ready to go again?”
“Getting there. It doesn’t take much, sweetheart. Not with you.”
She smiled and pulled his length between them, straddling him and pressing her pelvic bone against him. “Fuck,” he said, closing his eyes. She moved a little more until he was at full attention. He met her gaze. “Damn, you’re good.”
She pointed to the drawer. “Condoms in there?”
“Are you on the pill?” he asked.
“I’m on birth control,” she said, because she didn’t take an actual pill, but she was covered. She made sure of that every three months.
“Fuck it, then.”
She narrowed her gaze. “Are you sure? You’ve been so diligent all these years. I hate to break your no-condom streak.”
“I’m totally sure.”
She smiled. “You seriously haven’t had unprotected sex since your wife?”
“Nope. Not once.” He had her on her back in seconds flat. “And I can’t think of anyone I’d rather break that seal with.”
He pushed inside her, and she gasped at how good it felt to have his skin directly on her…in her.
“Oh, fuck,” he said, sinking down to bury his face in her neck. “You feel fucking amazing.”
He pumped into her, and the part of her that begged for that second orgasm earlier came alive quickly. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held on tight as he pushed into her, their chests melded together, every part of them possible, touching one another. Her heart beat against his chest, the rhythm of their hearts moving into sync with one another. She wrapped her legs around his back, and he pushed until she let out a howl from the sensations flowing through her. He pushed one last time, hard, collapsing on her.
“Fuck,” he said again, into her neck, their bodies, wet with sweat, tangled together.
He balanced himself on top of her, letting his weight rest in his arms on either side of her. “I fucking love you, Shayla Harrison.”
She smiled. “You say fuck a lot in bed.”
He smiled and went back in for kisses that went on and on and on…
Chapter Twenty-Three
The ding-dong of a doorbell had Shayla opening her eyes. She was sprawled out on Chase’s chest. “Do you think Felicity and Scott both forgot the code?” she asked a naked Chase beneath her.
“I texted it to her so she wouldn’t forget. Besides, it’s morning time. These are black-out blinds.” He pointed to the blinds on the window that faced the front of the house.
She sat up. “Really?”
He showed her his phone. “Yep.”
Knocking sounded now. She stood and tiptoed to the window, getting a glimpse of her brother’s truck, her heart sinking. “It’s Bo.”
“Aren’t they leaving for a honeymoon?”
“No, they aren’t doing one right now since they just moved back.”
Chase got out of bed and grabbed his shorts. “Take your time getting dressed. I’ll go talk to him first.” He put his shorts on and then headed downstairs.
She cleaned herself up a bit before dressing. Nothing like talking to her brother when she was fresh from a night of hot sex. But it needed to be done.
She walked downstairs, her hand sliding down the bannister as her brother came into view in the foyer. Maya was with him, his new wife. They would be Bo and Maya from here on out. Shayla was happy for him, but there was a part of her that understood that their practical twin bond was a little bit weaker now. But she was okay with it.
Bo scrubbed his hand over his head, his eyes wide, looking contrite and reasonable. Seeing the encouraging look on Maya’s face, Shayla inwardly thanked her for Bo’s calm demeanor.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey.”
“I tried calling and texting, but you didn’t answer.”
“My phone’s in the pool house. I stayed here last night.”
He nodded, glancing between Chase and her. “Good. I mean, if you want to do that, that’s good.”
She almost grinned at his attempt to be agreeable.
“Can we go somewhere and talk?” he asked.
She looked around the room at Chase, her new relationship, and Maya, her new family.
“Let’s all talk together,” she said, and headed into the kitchen.
Maya hesitated before pulling a chair back from the kitchen table. “Are you sure, Shayla? I don’t mind waiting in the truck or outside by the pool.”
“It’s fine, Maya. Welcome to the family,” she said with a smile.
They all sat, and Bo scrubbed his hands together, setting them on the kitchen table. “Look, Shayla, I had a completely wrong reaction to what you told me last night. Maya helped me understand that.”
Shayla gave Maya a grateful look, and Maya smiled at her in return.
“I hope you don’t mind that I talked to her about this,” he said.
Shayla shook her head.
He looked down at his hands, brow furrowed like he was prepping for an exam. “Look, Shayla, what happened back in Nashville is none of my business. But I’m your brother, and I can’t help but feel protective of you.” His knuckles were turning white. “And the idea of some son-of-a-bitch—” Maya put her hand on his arm, and he stopped mid-sentence, meeting her serious gaze. He looked off to the side, gathering himself, then he met Shayla’s gaze. “I’m here to listen, not to judge you or ask you for answers. I’m here to see if you’re okay.”
Maya squeezed his arm, giving him a nod.
Chase set his arm on the table and held out his hand. Shayla took it and squeezed it, smiling at him in return. She looked back at Bo. “I’m sorry I kept it from you. I was embarrassed and ashamed of what had happened, and I didn’t know how to talk about it. I still don’t, but I’m trying.” She squeezed Chase’s hand again, thankful beyond words for his presence in her life.
Bo nodded slowly, his eyes scanning hers fiercely. “I want you to know that if I’d had a clue that you were going through this I never would have left to go to Indianapolis, and I’ll say that right here in front of Maya.”
“I know you wouldn’t have you, dum-dum. Why do you think I kept it from you? Besides, Brian was headed to a two-month rehab when I came home, so I knew I’d be okay.”
“Physically, maybe. But what about letting your brother be there to help you out with the rest?” He made a vague motion toward her head.
She couldn’t help a little chuckle. Bless his heart. “I’m sorry,” she said, leaving it at that. She wasn’t sure he could ever understand the loss of pride, the shattering of the idea of her as the big sister he looked up to.
He ran his hand over the top of his head and then let out a resigned sigh. “Okay.” He turned to Chase. “You knew about this?”
“Not until last night, not really. But I suspected.” He glanced at Shayla, and she digested what he must have been going through the past few weeks trying to figure her out, knowing how he felt about her now.
Bo glanced at Chase’s bandage. “How’d that feel?”
“Fucking satisfying,” Chase said.
Bo huffed. “Wish I knew what that felt like,” he said, his lip curling up.
“I’m so sorry you didn’t get to pound somebody on your wedding day,” Shayla said. “I know Maya would have loved some stray blood on her white dress.”
He let out a resigned breath. “All right. I guess we’ll let you all get back to…whatever you were doing,” he said through pursed lips.
Shayla gave him a look. “Seriously? You still have a problem with this?” She pointed between Chase and her.
He looked between the two of them. “I don’t guess so, as long as this asshole doesn’t go back to his old ways.”
Chase locked gazes with Shayla. “No fucking way.”
She grinned at the goofy bastard who she adored.
Chase frowned, looking at Maya and Bo, scratching his forehead with his bandaged hand. “Hey, so I need to tell you all something about me.”
Shayla squeezed his hand and gave him an ‘Are you sure?’ look.
He nodded and then turned back to Bo.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Shayla ended the call and grinned over at Chase in the driver’s seat. “They lifted the inspection contingency. I’m closing on the 8th.”
“This is cause to celebrate. We should go to dinner somewhere,” he said. She lifted an eyebrow, waiting for him to look over at her. “Oh, yeah. I guess not tonight, huh?”
“Another night, maybe in a week or two?”
“It’s gonna take a week or two before we can leave the house again?”
“Not at nighttime. We’ll need time to get settled…all of us.”
He pulled into a parking space up front and exhaled a deep breath. “Okay.”
“Are you sure you’re ready for this? It’s a major life decision.”
“I’m the one who suggested it, aren’t I?” he said.
Seagrove Secrets (Love Along Hwy 30A) Page 24
